Melody L. Simpson

Bio

Melody L. Simpson is the Founder and CEO of Melanin in YA. A lifelong lover of books, theatre, film, and television, she created Hollywood the Write Way in 2008 to write about all things entertainment. In addition, Melody has interviewed hundreds of actors, writers, directors, and more in the entertainment industry over the past thirteen years. In 2020, Melody created Melanin in YA in response to a culmination of events showcasing the lack of support for the Black community, specifically in the publishing industry. Melanin in YA established itself as an LLC in 2021.

Melody is also an author, screenwriter, and songwriter. She writes sci-fi, young adult speculative fiction, and nonfiction pop culture. When not writing or reading, she can be found in the audience of a musical or play thanks to her musical mother, walking around the exhibit floor of conventions that she grew up on thanks to her comic book artist father, or at home enjoying her favorite shows and movies. She was born and raised in New Jersey and currently splits her time between Los Angeles, California and Austin, TX.

Anthologies

Writing in Color Fourteen Writers on the Lessons We’ve Learned Edited by Nafiza Azad and Melody Simpson

Betty Bites Back: Stories to Scare the Patriarchy Edited by Mindy McGinnis, Demitria Lunetta, and Kate Karyus Quinn

Podcast Appearances

2024

The Broadcast – Ep. 8.27 “Melody in YA Forever”

2022

The Broadcast – Ep. 7.18 “Melody in YA”

2019

The Jay and Jack Show – Ep. 1.06 “The Melody of Writing”